Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1545966
THE Opposition's walk-out from parliament when the Equality Bill came to the vote was necessary "to give a voice to the voiceless", Alex Borg said. The Nationalist Party leader defended the walk-out on the basis that 26 NGOs of differing persuasions had asked for more consultation on the bill. "I am not uncomfortable be- cause the choice to exit par- liament was not because we disagreed with the law—if we did, we would have voted against it. We walked out of parlia- ment to give a voice to the voiceless," Borg said in a w i d e - r a n g i n g interview with MaltaToday pub- lished today (see full interview on MT2). The PN leader said the par- ty agreed in principle with the Equality Bill but had insisted with the government not to push ahead with the parlia- mentary process before proper consultation is carried out. "Can I vote in favour or against a l a w when no opportunity was given to those that will be impacted directly to be consulted?" The Equality Bill tabled by Equality Minister Rosianne Cutajar was among the first piec- es of legislation to be put forward by the incoming admin- istration. It would have set up a human rights com- mission a n d p r o - hibit dis- crimination in the provision of goods and services. A similar bill had been pre- sented back in 2019 amid con- cerns from several quarters over its implications but it never progressed beyond committee stage and was left to expire. Cutajar presented a new bill with the intention of passing it through parliament before the summer recess, leaving no time for consultation with NGOs that asked for the legislative process to be paused. The Opposition voted in fa- vour of the bill at Second Read- ing stage but during committee stage repeatedly called for more consultation. When the bill came to the fi- nal vote at Third Reading stage, the Opposition walked out of parliament, effectively denying the required two-thirds major- ity for the bill to be approved. The bill included changes to the Constitution that necessitated a two-thirds majority vote. YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT SUNDAY 26 JULY 2026 • ISSUE 1395 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY maltatoday €2.20 Yorgen Fenech trial Record dwellings Discretionary spending by public agencies needs more control The courtroom drama from the eyes of a sketch artist PA approves third highest number of dwellings in 2025 PAGES 6-7 PAGE 3 Equality Bill walk-out 'gave voice to the voiceless' CONTINUES PAGE 3 FULL INTERVIEW MT2 Power cuts expose planning failure, former ERA CEO CONTINUES PAGE 4 PAGE 9 JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt ENEMALTA has received a damning indictment from for- mer Environment and Resources Authority CEO Ruben Abela over the recent electricity disruptions. In a scathing opinion sent to MaltaToday, Abela argues the power cuts were not simply the result of extreme temperatures but exposed years of inadequate infrastructure planning. Abela says the focus on heatwaves, ca- ble faults and emergency repairs risked overlooking the wider issue that infrastructure failed to keep pace with Malta's rapid popula- tion growth, tourism expansion and construction activity. KURT SANSONE ksansone@mediatoday.com.mt Alex Borg (Photo: Daniel Tihn/MaltaToday) Quangos raise costs